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Metroid Fusion (GBA) - 100% - TAS - BioSpark

by: BioSpark

Publication date: 2008

Topics: Metroid Fusion, Tool-assisted Speedrun, 100%

Publisher: Metroid 2002

Tool-assisted (emulated) video of a 100% completion of Metroid Fusion programmed by BioSpark. Available in original Visual Boy Advance .VBM emulator format as well as h (lossless; ~1.5 Mbps), m (medium; 512 Kbps) or l (low; 128 Kbps) quality H.264 MP4 (including a NoStory version) provided by Metroid 2002. These videos can be played using QuickTime 7+ or with VLC. Author's comments: Here is the second version of my 100% Metroid Fusion TAS. It took a bit less than a year of on and off work (mostly off). I did a lot more testing and had much more attention to detail. The in-game completion time is 56 minutes and 15 seconds, which is 4566 frames faster or 1 minute and 11 seconds faster. Originally, Deign and I were working on a TAS together for this but he lost interest. I restarted the run and this was the result. So, I have to give Deign some credit and thanks.

Techniques

Here I will list the techniques used in the run. Much of the time saved came from new techniques and more abuse of the old ones.

Grabbing Platforms

I accidentally discovered a way to go from a standing jump to a spin jump. While jumping, I let go of A for one frame and turn in the opposite direction instead. I then press A which continues the jump but also puts Samus into a spin. Apparently, turning in midair keeps Samus' vertical momentum for 1 frame. This is mostly helpful when grabbing platforms because it saves 2 frames per platform over the old method. Otherwise it doesn't have much other use.

Double Shots

Double shots are used the same as in the old run. They're still used for eye doors (before charge beam) and core-x's.

Force Falling

Spinning and unspinning in midair will force Samus to move down. This is mostly used for crumble blocks and underwater. It is also used for short falls or in other situations to give Samus quick vertical momentum.

Unique Projectile Firing

Firing a beam or missile when Samus jumps will put it at the bottom of the sprite. It works diagonally, and it also works while spinning in midair and when morphing. The charge beam can be fired while spinning by pressing R. New to this run is firing the charge beam straight down, not just forward or diagonally.

Running off Platforms

Deign accidentally found this one. If nothing is pressed immediately after Samus runs off of a platform, she will keep some of her momentum. So, instead of just holding the same direction constantly, it's better to hold nothing for 4 frames then go into a spin. Up or down can also be held during this, which I do, but it has not point really.

Jumping off Platforms

Just like the old run, however, this time I used it with the morph ball in tunnels to save a few frames here and there.

Jumping with Speedbooster

This is used in the same way as the old run. It is used a few more times for some new speed tricks.

Single Wall Jump

Used in the same places as the old run. The morph ball is also used as a method to fall slower and to slightly extend some jumps.

Luck Manipulation

A new method of luck manipulation was very helpful to this run. Instead of wasting in-game frames before a room, I waste real-time frames during the computer conversations. This has its limits, however, because I can only manipulate so much. Occasionally I still had to waste real-time frames. Trying to avoid that would take many wasted real-time frames and way too much effort.

Notes

Doors have a 2 frame rule, so in a certain room I will always leave on either an even frame or an odd frame.
Sector 2 shows the rare use of bomb jumping in Fusion. I lay a bomb in mid-air twice to save time instead of bombing the pillar in the ground.
Damage boosting off of BOX helped me to leave the fight earlier. I actually had to wait a bit because if I left the room right away the fight would have reset.
Delaying a bit for the Mega-X fight keep it on the left and provided a quicker kill.
One of my favorite parts of this run is when I get the power bomb expansion early on the main deck. The reason I do this is because it allows me to do Dragonfangs' speedtrick near the end of the game.
It's slower to run on slopes, so I try to jump over them when I'm speedboosting.
Nightmare is annoying. No matter what I tried (and I tried a lot), I couldn't duplicate the fight from my old run. I settled for a different method that was very slightly slower. Eventually I will look into this.
I use Dragonfangs' trick before BOX II, which has to be absolutely perfect (1 frame slower and it wouldn't work).
The second time around Dragonfangs' trick doesn't work because the screw attack screws things up. It prevents me from quickly jumping off of the frozen creature, so I have to recharge in the save room.
In-game ending time is 0:56.

Thanks to...
nate, for running Metroid2002.com and for appreciating Fusion,
Deign, for working on this run at one time and for your discoveries,
Dragonfangs, for your speedtricks,
and P.JBoy, for your help and tricks here and there.